Hauser and Wagner Lead Sacred Heart Past Monmouth, 8-5

FAIRFIELD, Conn. (April 3, 2010) - Senior Carissa Hauser (East Northport, NY) scored four goals with a pair of assists and senior Chelsea Wagner (Aurora, CO) posted 10 of her 13 saves in the second half to lead Sacred Heart past Monmouth 8-5 Saturday afternoon for their sixth-straight victory. The Pioneers overcame a 3-2 halftime deficit using three Hauser scores while keeping the Hawks off the scoreboard for the final 21:47 to improve to 6-0 in the Northeast Conference.

The Hawks (5-7, 3-2 NEC) opened a 2-0 lead with goals just 19 seconds apart. Perry DeWitt opened the scoring converting off a feed from Brittney McLaughlin. Off the ensuing draw, Shawn Evans turned the quick transition into a 2-0 lead at 25:29, scoring off a pass from Megan Brennan.

Sophomore Kaitlin Rochler (Wading River, NY) helped get SHU on the board setting up fellow sophomore Alicia Fuchs (Bay Shore, NY) at 22:55. Hauser buried her first of the game to knot it at 2-2, scoring on an 8meter free-position attempt at 18:42. Evans gave her team a 3-2 lead with her second at 8:09, unassisted, and the score held from there as both teams played to a standstill the rest of the half.

The second half opened with a flurry as three goals went on the board in the first two and a half minutes. Hauser and sophomore Kate Kmiotek (Farmingville, NY) teamed up for SHU's first two scores of the second half. Hauser set up Kmiotek at 28:38 and after Carissa Franzi put the Hawks back in front just 27 seconds later on a free position shot, the duo struck again. This time Hauser delivered, scoring off the Kmiotek pass with 27:32 on the clock.

Monmouth would take its final lead of the afternoon at 21:47 as Olivia Salata, who entered the game in the second half, delivered on an unassisted take for a 5-4 advantage. The Pioneers controlled the game over the final 20 minutes, using four goals and a stellar performance by Wagner in goal to seal the win.

Hauser tied the game at 18:21 with her third of the afternoon coming off a pass from Kaitlin Rochler. Kmiotek put SHU in front for good at 17:10, hitting on a one-timer from Jackie Pierce (Cortlandt Manor, NY), her 30th goal of the season. Hauser set up fellow senior Cori Horelik (South Windsor, CT) at 9:35 and she then finished off the scoring with an unassisted marker, her 33rd of the season, at 5:38 for an 8-5 lead.

Wagner turned away four 8meter attempts in the second half on the way to holding the sixth-straight opponent to under 10 goals.

The Pioneers will hit the road next week as they travel to Pennsylvania next week and will take on Saint Francis (PA) on Thursday and Robert Morris on Sunday.